Southern Rocky Mountains

The Southern Rocky Mountains are a major subregion of the Rocky Mountains of North America located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Wyoming, the central and western portions of Colorado, the northern portion of New Mexico, and extreme eastern portions of Utah. The Southern Rocky Mountains are also commonly known as the Southern Rockies, and since the highest peaks are located in the State of Colorado, they are sometimes known as the Colorado Rockies, although many important ranges and peaks rise in the other three states. The Southern Rockies include the highest mountain ranges of the Rocky Mountains and include all 30 of the highest major peaks of the Rockies.

The Southern Rocky Mountains are generally divided from the Western Rocky Mountains by the Green River and the Colorado River below the Green River. The Southern Rockies are divided from the Central Rocky Mountains by South Pass in Wyoming and the drainage running east from the pass down the Sweetwater River and the North Platte River; and the drainage running southwest from the pass down Pacific Creek and Sandy Creek to the Green River. This divide between the Southern Rockies and the Central Rockies provided the lowest elevation traverse of the Rocky Mountain region for the historic Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the California Trail. The southern end of the Rocky Mountains are considered to be the Jemez Mountains and the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. Mountains south of here in N.M. are classified as the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains ecoregion using the EPA Ecoregions System.

This article defines a significant summit as a summit with at least 100 meters (330 feet) of topographic prominence, and a major summit as a summit with at least 500 meters (1,600 feet) of topographic prominence. An ultra-prominent summit is a summit with at least 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) of topographic prominence.

All elevations in this article include an elevation adjustment from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). For further information, please see this United States National Geodetic Survey note.

Mountain ranges

The following table lists the mountain ranges and subranges of the Southern Rocky Mountains with their highest summit.

Mountain peaks

Highest summits

The following sortable table lists the 57 mountain peaks of the Southern Rocky Mountains with at least 4,000 meters (13,123.4 ft) of topographic elevation and at least 500 meters (1,640.4 ft) of topographic prominence.

Most prominent summits

The following sortable table lists the three ultra prominent summits of the Southern Rocky Mountains (with at least 1,500 meters (4,921.3 ft) of topographic prominence.)

Most isolated summits

The following sortable table lists the 15 most topographically isolated peaks of the Southern Rocky Mountains with a topographic isolation of at least 50 kilometers (31.07 mi) and a topographic prominence of at least 500 meters (1,640.4 ft).

Easternmost summits

The following sortable table lists progressively the easternmost Rocky Mountain summits of their respective elevation.

Mountain passes

The following sortable table lists the paved mountain passes and highway summits of the Southern Rocky Mountains.

See also

• Lists of mountains
• Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains
• Front Range

References

1. ^ 190505. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
2. ^ 190045. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
3. ^ The state highway up Mount Blue Sky ends about a 1⁄4 mile (400 m) from the summit. The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway is the highest paved highway in North America.
4. ^ This highway is closed during the winter.
5. ^ The toll road up Pikes Peak ends at the summit of the mountain. Pikes Peak is the most visited mountain summit in North America.
6. ^ Trail Ridge Road (U.S. Highway Route 34) crosses the Continental Divide at Milner Pass but reaches its highest point several miles northeast of the pass. Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved through highway in North America.
7. ^ This pass lies on the Continental Divide of the Americas.
8. ^ Cottonwood Pass is the highest paved crossing of the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.
9. ^ The highest elevation in the Eisenhower Tunnel is a short distance inside the West Portal. The tunnel passes under the Continental Divide a few miles west of Loveland Pass. The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest elevation on the Interstate Highway System of the United States.
10. ^ The high point near Warrior Mountain is the highest point on Colorado State Highway 103.
11. ^ Happy Jack Summit is the highest point on I-80.
12. ^ Raton Pass was the highest point on the historic Santa Fe Trail, and now is the highest point on I-25.
13. ^ South Pass was the highest point on the historic Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the California Trail.

External links

• National Geodetic Survey (NGS)
  • NGS Datasheets
  • NGVD 29 to NAVD 88 online elevation converter @ NGS
  • Geodetic Glossary @ NGS
• United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• World Mountain Encyclopedia @ peakware.com
• peaklist.org
• summitpost.org